Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bull Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bull Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $919 in Bull Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,420 in Bull Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,922 in Bull Bay, rent included.

Phuket costs about 38% more than Bull Bay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Bull Bay are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Bull Bay 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$15.50 JMD 2,435

-69.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$75.9 JMD 11.9K

-57.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$6.41 JMD 1,007

35.41%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.55 JMD 244

87.10%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.92 JMD 145

-8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.72 JMD 113

-31.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.26 JMD 355

9.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.55 JMD 401

46.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$4.11 JMD 645

-54.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$3.28 JMD 515

-57.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.24 JMD 194

30.65%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$3.61 JMD 567

-37.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$4.95 JMD 778

300.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$6.18 JMD 970

-43.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$3.86 JMD 607

194.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.95 JMD 306

48.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.94 JMD 305

-11.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$2.18 JMD 343

4.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$0.94 JMD 148

126.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$0.98 JMD 154

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.56 JMD 245

-8.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.13 JMD 177

-2.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$1.03 JMD 162

-41.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$3.69 JMD 580

16.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$3.76 JMD 590

394.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.39 JMD 375

-24.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.44 JMD 384

21.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.92 JMD 144

144.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$0.92 JMD 144

236.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$3.10 JMD 487

-65.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$6.50 JMD 1,022

-40.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.40 JMD 220

2.14%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$44.0K JMD 6.9M

-36.86%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

-19.05%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$105 ฿3,462

$112 JMD 17.5K

-6.19%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.39 ฿376

$29.74 JMD 4,671

-61.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$19.27 JMD 3,027

-8.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$30.99 JMD 4,868

75.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$13.11 JMD 2,059

-40.66%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$576 ฿19.0K

$364 JMD 57.1K

58.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$8,242 JMD 1.3M

40.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$23.72 JMD 3,726

168.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$32.01 JMD 5,029

-9.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$76.5 JMD 12.0K

25.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$105 JMD 16.4K

-13.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$219 JMD 34.4K

234.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$161 JMD 25.3K

210.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.45

-41.06%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Bull Bay: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $219 in Bull Bay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $76.0 in Bull Bay. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Phuket vs $233 in Bull Bay – so Bull Bay wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Phuket vs Bull Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $919 in Bull Bay – roughly 38% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,378 in Bull Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bull Bay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $919 in Bull Bay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $364 in Bull Bay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bull Bay, where all-in costs run around $919, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Bull Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $919 in Bull Bay to $1,265 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bull Bay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.